Piastri extends lead by 34 points at Dutch GP as Hadjar shines with first F1 podium

August 30, 2025, F1 (Photo: RacingBulls)

The afternoon in Zandvoort was filled with drama. Starting from pole, Piastri was followed by Norris and Verstappen in third. At the first corner of the circuit it seemed the order would remain unchanged, but before reaching Turn 2 Verstappen overtook Norris and almost collided on the exit. Running on the dirty outside line, his car dragged gravel onto the track, nearly causing him to lose control, while Piastri held firm in the lead.

Later, Norris regained second place with an outside move as Verstappen struggled on the soft tires. For the McLaren running in P2 and the only one able to keep up with his teammate, disaster struck when his car began to smoke with seven laps to go, forcing him to retire. The blow was devastating for the Briton, as the gap in the standings is now 34 points with only nine Grands Prix remaining.

Ferrari endured a weekend to forget. Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc retired after separate incidents that cost them valuable points. Mercedes showed more consistency with George Russell in fourth, while Oliver Bearman delivered a remarkable recovery drive from the pit lane to finish sixth. Kimi Antonelli, carrying a 15-second penalty, ended up in sixteenth after the safety cars compressed the field.

With this result, McLaren extended its lead in the Constructors’ Championship and confirmed itself as the strongest team at the moment. Piastri is not only collecting wins but also showing the composure of a champion, while Norris will need to react quickly if he wants to keep his title hopes alive.

It is always special to see a driver celebrate his first F1 podium, and even more so when it is well deserved. Isack Hadjar has been impressive all season, and this weekend he earned it. Starting P4 in qualifying and holding off rivals like Russell and Leclerc for much of the race, he sealed his place among the revelations of the year.

Oscar Piastri conquered the Dutch Grand Prix with an impeccable performance that solidifies him as the leading candidate for the Formula 1 World Championship. The Australian McLaren driver dominated the race from start to finish and took advantage of Norris’s retirement to deliver a potentially decisive blow in the title fight.

The podium was completed by Max Verstappen, who could not achieve the dream of winning in front of his home crowd, and Isack Hadjar, who celebrated his first podium in Formula 1 and confirmed himself as one of the rising stars of the 2025 season.